Heat treatment of track-rails.



C. P. SANDBERG.

HEAT TREATMENT OF TRACK RAILS.

APPLlCATl-ON FILED AUG. 13, 191?. I

Patented Oct. 1, 1918.

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HEAT TREATMENT 0Fv TRACK RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I3. 19! 7.

Patented Oct. 1,1918

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ill Z Z Zzwafii I rimzgwe g C. P. SANDBERG.

HEAT TREATMENT OFTRACK RAILS.

APPLICATION FILE D Auefls. 1917.

c. P. SANDBERG.

HEAT TREATMENT OF TRACK RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I3. I917- 1,280,554. Patented 001;.1,191s.

6 SHE SSHEET 4- C. P. SANDBERG.

" HEAT TREATMENT OF TRACK RAILS. APPLICATION FILED AUG-13.19M-

Patented 0ct.1,191's.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

c. P. SANDBERG.

HEAT TREATMENT OF TRACK RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I3, l9l7.

1,280,554. Patented 0015. 1, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

n mmg I WMW CHRISTER PETER SANDBEBG, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

HEAT TREATMENT OF TRACK-RAILS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1918.

Application filed August 13, 1917. Serial No. 186,042.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CH ISTER PETER SAND- BERG, a subjectof the King of Great Britain, residing in London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Heat Treatment of Track-Rails, of which the following is a specification. c

In my application for United States Patent Serial N 0. 186,041 of even date here'- with, I have described a method of hardening or tempering .track rails, by moving a source of heat slowly and continuously along the surface of the rail so as to heat the surface to the desired depth to a temperature abovethe critical range and directing a cooling medium on to the rail immediately in the rear of the source of heat to cool the rail to a temperature below the critical.

The present invention consists in apparatus for the method in question, comprising a car adapted to travel continuously longitudinally of the rail or rails, apparatus for driving the car at thedesired rate, a source of heat carried by a car in such'a manner that the heat produced is applied to the rail or rails over the whole width of the wearing surface thereof as the car travels, and means for artificially cooling the'rails immediately in the rear of the source of heat.

In. the accompanying drawings gas flames are shown as illustrating the source of heat,

. although, as stated in the aforesaid application for Letters Patent, other sources of heat may be used. I

Figure 1 is a side view of a simple handoperated apparatus constructed according to the invention. i

Fig. 2 is a side view and Fig. 3 an end view showing more or less diagrammatically an apparatus adapted for treating simulta-.

- neously both rails of a tramway track;

' Fig. 4 is a side view, Fig.- 5 a plan and Fig. 6 an end View of an apparatus adapted to treat a single rail.

A simple hand operated form of appara-' tus is shown in Fig. 1, adapted for treating tramwa'y rails. In this arrangement, a platform a is suitably mounted on flanged wheels I) adapted to run in the rails and upon the platform is mounted gearlng adapted to be operated by handto move the car along. As shown, .the gearing com, prises a handle a, worm d rotated thereby,

worm-wheel d shaft e chain-.wheel e thereon, and chain e driving direct on to the chain-wheel e on. the driving axle b i A brake operated by the hand-wheel b and screwed rod 7) is, preferably, provided on the car. Upon the car or truck and preferably between the wheels is arranged a burner of suitable construction.- As shown, this consists of a blow pipe f, which, for the purpose of regulating or adjusting the distance of the jet above the rail is mounted upon a pivot 9 about which the burner f can be turned by means of the screwed'rod h and regulating wheel j. The burner f is connected by flexible piping k with gas cylinders Z carried upon the car or truck to supply the burner.

Behind the burner .f is arranged an air jet m for the purpose of blowing air on "to the heated rail, and behind the air jet is arranged a water jet 'n, for directing water on; to the rail. The air jet m may be supphed with alr from a blower operated either by hand or automatically and v car, as shown, or from an independent source such as an ordinary water cart or a hydrant 1n the road.

In operation, the car is moved forward.

slowly, the burner projecting a flame' on to the rail to heat it and the heated rail being cooled by the air or Water, or both,

I blown on to it as the car travels. slowly.

Where both rails are .to be treated at once, similar apparatus may be arranged at both sides of the car.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 3 consists of a car or truck A with flanged wheels A to travel in the track, and is adapted to be propelled in either direction by means of an electric ,motor B mounted on the truck frame. It is necessary that the rate of travel of the truck should be very slow, in some circumstances only about 1 foot or 18 inches per minute, and to obtain this slow rate of travel it is necessary to gear down from the motor very considerably. As shown, the car' is driven wheel 0 gearing therewith, the shaft C carrying the worm wheel C and the worm D on the shaft C which drives the worm wheel D on the axle D The handle D operates a clutch for connecting or disconnecting the axle D to or from the driving ear.

g The speed of travel of the car A may be varied or regulated by sliding the friction wheel C toward or away from the center of the friction disk C thus permitting of a very fine regulation of the speed. This may be accomplished by means of the hand wheel F which is adapted to operate the lever E through the bevel gear F and screw F the lever E being mounted on the bracket E and having a forked end which engages a groove on the hub of the friction wheel C for sliding this wheel on the shaft C The direction of travel may be reversed by means of cross and open belts driving the counter-shaft C with two loose pulleys and one fast pulley so that either of the belts drives the shaft in the direction desired.

Any other means for driving the car from the motor may be employed and any other form of motor may be used, such, for instance, as an internal combustion engine.

On either side of the car A and preferably placed between the wheels are arranged suitable sources of heat or burners adapted to heat the rail as the car tra els. In the arrangement shown blow pipes G G1 are em ployed which are preferably carried on small blow pipe carriages H which are fitted with runners h to fit the head of the rail and guide the carriage along the rail. The blow pipe carriages H are connected to the car or truck A by a lazytongs or similar device H which ermits of the carriage H always running a ong the rail and maintaining the blow pipes G, G the correct distance therefrom, notwithstanding any rocking or jolting of the car A on its springs. Such an arrangement also permits of lifting the blowpipe carriage H entirely clear of the rail, as for instance by the screw and hand wheel H shown, when the car is out of use, or it is to be moved quicklyirom place to place, which may, of course, be done by trailing it behind another car. The blowpipes G G are preferably made adjustable in or on' the carriage so that they may be raised or lowered and set at any distance desired above the rails. A single blowpipe may be used for heating each rail, having a fish tail or like flame adapted to reach across the head of the rail, or two jets side by side, as shown, may be employed.

It is, of course, obvious that too great a length of rail cannot be heated at once, otherwise there might be danger of buckling the rail.

Directly behind the blowpipes on elther side of the car are fixed air blast nozzles K meets;

and Water jet nozzles I. The air blast nozzles are connected by means of the blower duct is with the blower J mounted on the truck and driven by the motor B. The water jets I are connected by pipes i, preferably flexible, with a water tank which may be carried by the car A or may be independent thereof. Or the pipe i may be connected with a hydrant in the road.

Upon the car in suitable positions, for instance at each end of the car, as shown, are carried cylinders L containing the gases for the burners, which may, for example, be oxygen and acetylene. These cylinders are connected by flexible tubing M with the burners G through the control'board L by means of which the quantities and proportions of the gases supplied to the burners may be regulated.

The electric motor may be supplied with current to drive it in any convenient manner. It may, for instance, as shown, be connected with the overhead wires by means of a connecting pole N and flexible cable.

' Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show a simpler form of self-propelled apparatus arranged for the treatment of one rail at a time and adapted to run on three wheels instead of four, as in the constructions previously described.

The apparatus consists of a frame P with flange wheels p, p to travel in or on the track, and is propelled in either direction by a suitable motor. As shown, it is driven by the electric motor Q on the frame P by means of the chain driven shaft 9 carrying the adjustable friction wheel R, which revolves in frictional contact with the friction disk 9", as described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3. The friction wheel R is adjusted by suitable means such as a screwed nut 1' and screw 1' operated by the hand wheel r to slide it on its shaft, so varying the speed of travel.

The friction disk r drives the bevel pinions S and S by means of the double worm reduction gears s and 8 These bevel pinions are fitted onto their shaft with sliding keys or feathers, and are caused to slide simultaneously, one into gear and the other out of gear with the bevel wheel Tom the countershaft T by means of the levers t, t and connecting rod t according to the direction in which the machine is required to travel, and the drive is transmitted from the countershaft T to the driving wheel 1) by the chain t Onleither side of the car, but preferably on the two wheeled side, and between the wheels is or are mounted one or more burners U, as described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3. For the purpose of adjusting the height of the jet or jets from the rail the burner or burners is or are carried by a bracket u mounted upon a pivot u about which itmay be turned.

The air jet V and Water jet W are'mounted behind the burner in the manner already described, or they may,'as shown, be mounted on the bracket u so as to be adjustable with the burner.

The bracket M has a hand-lever u and quadrant 2 by means of which the height of the jet or jets from the rail may be adjusted.

The air jet V is connected by the duct 1) with the blower '0 which is mounted on the frame P and driven in any convenient manner from the motor Q. On each end of the frame P. are brackets X to carry the cylinders Y containing the gases for the burner or burners U, the latter being connected with the cylinders through the control board Z by means of the flexible tubing 2.

Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical eifect, I claim:

1. Apparatus for heat-treating track rails in situ, comprising a wheeled car having I means for its propulsion continuously longitudinally of the rail at the desired rate, and a source of heat carried by the car in such a manner that the heat produced is applied to the rail over. the Whole width of the wear ing surface thereof as the car travels.

2. Apparatusfor heat-treating track rails in situ, .comprising a Wheeled car having means for its propulsion continuously longitudinally of the rail at. the desired rate, a source of heatcarried by the car in such manner that the heat produced is applied to the rail over the whole width of the wearingsurface thereof as the car travels, and means carried by the car for cooling the rail in rear of the source of heat.

3. Apparatus for heat-treating track rails in situ, comprising a wheeled car having flame upon the rail whereby to heat the wearing surface over the whole width thereof,-and means also carried by the car for directing a jet of cooling fluid on the rail in rear of the jet of flame.

4:. Apparatus for heat-treating track rails, comprising a wheeled car having means for its propulsion continuously. longitudinally of the rail at the desired rate, a burner adapted to direct a jet of flame upon the rail whereby to lieatthe Wearing surface over the whole width thereof as the car travels,

a carriage separate from the car and elastically connected therewith carrying the burner and means for raising or lowering the burner on the carriage.

5. Apparatus for heat-treating track rails in situ, comprising a wheeled vehicle having means for its propulsion longitudinally of the rail at the desired rate, a burner carried by the car and adapted to direct a jet of flame upon the rail whereby to heat the Wearing surface over the whole width thereof, a nozzle adapted to deliver a jet of elastic fluid on the rail immediately behind the jet of flame and a nozzle adapted'to deliver a jet of cooling liquid on the rail immediately behind the said jet of elastic fluid In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHRISTER PETER SANDBERG. 

